FEMA again ordered to restart housing payments

December 09, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) -- For the second time in eight days, a judge ordered the Bush administration to immediately resume making housing payments to thousands of families whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon said last week that the confusing, often contradictory letters to hurricane victims from the Federal Emergency Management Agency didn't explain why rental payments were cut off. He said that violated the Constitution and he ordered the agency to restart the program immediately. FEMA appealed that ruling and asked Leon not to force the agency to restart the program while that case plays out. Leon refused Friday to do so. He ordered FEMA to come to court Wednesday to discuss how many evacuees are due housing payments and how the funding will be restored. The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, which won last week's ruling, said more than 11,000 families are affected by the case. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, in an interview with CNN, said Friday that FEMA wanted to ensure only eligible people received aid. FEMA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Justice Department had no immediate response to the order.